28 Robotics

Tuning-in
Task 1 Together, try to write a definition of a robot. Compare your answer with the
definition of an industrial robot given on page 36 of the Answer Book.

Reading 1 Revising skills

In the tasks which follow, we will revise some of the reading skills you have
studied.

Task 2 Study this diagram which shows the components of an industrial robot. What
do you think the functions of the three components shown are?
Computer with
appropriate 1e.g. eornpressorl
industrial interface

Fig. 7 Thecomponentsofan industrial robot

Task 3 Now read this text to check your ---.'rers to Tasl
. ,, ,. .
The manipulator ..
,
. ,,
.
This is the bit which actually does the mechanical work, and in this
case it is anthropomorphic ii.e. of human-like form), resembling an

5 compressor. I"smaller, lightweight versions which use electrical

stepper motors rather than hydraulics or pneumatics, this would be I
omitted. 1
The computer
The controlling computer is fined with appropriate interfaces.
These may include digital inputs, digital outputs, ADCs (analogue-
l o to-digital converters), DACs (digital-to-analogueconverters), or
stepper motor control ports. These control the various
I
compressors, stepper motors, and solenoids, and receive signal,

. --
from the manipulator's sensors.
I
Task 4 Read the following text to find the answers to these questions.
1 What is the work volume of a manipulator?
2 What is the work volume of a human?

-
3 Why is the work volume of a human greater than that of an industrial robot?
4 What are degrees of fre-Jn~2

Work volume
Robots are multifuncti
manipulator is its 'work volume': the volume of space into which it
can be positioned. The greater the workvolume, the more
extensive the range of tasks it can be programmed to carry out.
5 As a human being, your work volume consists of all the places your
hands can reach. Most industrial robots have a much more limited
work volume because they are bolted to the floor. Even with the
same limitation applied, however, the human body is a very
flexible machinewith a workvolume described -verv
a
ro approximately - by a cylinder about 2.2 m high with radius of
about 1.8 m and a domed top.

-of-
In orderto achieve flexibility of motion within a three-dimensional
space, a robot manipulator needs to be able to move in at least
three dimensions. The technical jargon is that it requires at least
15 three 'degrees of freedom'. Figs. 2 a-d show a number of the more
common types of robot manipulator mechanisms. Each has the
requisite three degrees of freedom, allowing either linear or
 Reading 2 Transferring information
Task 5 Study the text and accompanying diagram (Fig. 2a) below and note how the
information has been transferred to Table 1.

Fig. Type Degrees o f freedom Work volume

linear rotational
-
2a Cartesian or rectilinear 3 0 cube

Table 1

Common types of manipulator

Fig. 2a is the simplest. Itsthree degrees of freedom are all linear
and at right angles to each olher, sothey correspond to the three
Cartesian co-ordinates. Driving it presents no mathematical
difficulties, since each degree of freedom controls a single
5 Cartesian co-ordinate without affecting the others. Fairly obviously,
the work volume of the Cartesian manipulator is a cube.

.. ..-. .,. .. ....."

Task 6 Work in groups of three. Your teacher will select a text for you. Read the text
and diagram to complete your section of Table 1.
Text 1

The secondtypa of manipulator, shown in Fig. ro, IS calleo a

cylindrical manipulator because of the shape of its work volume. It
has one rotational and two linear degrees of freedom. Because of

I
the rotational aspect, however, the maths neededto position it
becomes more inv a given response
ed
%"* e a n % w - P - + x - .
Text 2

ere, and once again the complexity of positioning the device

Tat3
The final type of manipulator has three rotational degrees of
freedom. This is the most complex type to control, but it has
increasedflexibilitv. Fia. 2d showsthistvve of manivulator-the
anthropomorphic arm.~he work volume'of a practical manipulator
i of this form is shown in Fig. 3. You will notice that it is basically
spherical but has missing portions due to the presence of the arm
itself and becausethe rotations cannot achieve a full 360 degrees.
The scallops on the inner surface are caused bvconstraints
imposed by the joints.
-
1%
p~

Task 7 Now exchange information with the others in your group to complete the
table.

Task 8 Complete the blanks in this text.

Mechanical wrist
It is worth pointing ' that a human arm has far more freedom
2
the minimum three degrees of freedom, giving very great
3
flexibility in terms - positioning, path taken, and angle of
approach. Even without a wrist, the redundant degrees of freedom of the
4
-body would allow you to carry out most normal operations. Any
of the basic manipulators shown ' Figs. 2 a-d. on the other
6
, would be virtually useless as they stand. Although they could
get to any position, they ' only approach objects from a single
angle.
To take an , removing a screw would be impossible
the manipulator could not align a screwdriver to fit the screw properly. Even if
it was able to, it still would lo be possible to carry out the necessarv
rotating action.

A wrist is therefore added to most basic manipulators to 'l the

required mechanical flexibility to l2 real jobs. In general, for total
flexibility the wrist itself requires three degrees of freedom, thereby bringing the
grand total up to six. The l 3 common type of wrist has two bending
and one rotational degrees of freedom. Pig. 4 shows this type of mechanical
wrist.

Fig. 4 A typical mechanical wrist

Language study Concession: even if and although

We can use if(see Unit 11)to link two statements like this:

1 The switch is on.

2 The lamp lights.
u t h e switch is on, the lamp lights.
When statement 1is true, statement 2 is also true.
When statement 1surprisingly has no effect on statement 2, we can use even ij
or although. For example:

1 The switch is on.

2 The lamp does not light.
Even ifthe switch is on, the lamp does not light.
Although the switch is on, the lamp does not light.
Task 9 A car is fitted with a seat belt warning Light. The light operates under these
conditions:
Seat occupied Ignition Belt Light
Yes On Closed Off
Yes On Open On
Yes Off Closed Off
No Off Closed Off
Study these examples of normal and faulty operation:
Normal
If the seat is occupied, the ignition on and the belt closed, the light is oh.
Faulty
Even i f t h e belt is closed, the light stays on.
Although the belt is closed, the light stays on.
Give other examples of normal and faulty operation of this circuit.

Technical reading Stepper motors

Task 10 Read the text which follows to 6nd the answers to these questions, then
complete the table.
1 Why would you use a stepper motor to position the head of a disk drive unit?
2 Name two components that are present in other electric motor types but absent
from stepper motors.
3 For accuracy in positioning, would you select a stepper motor with a large or a
small step angle?

Type Advantages Applications

Variable reluctance No detent torque

High dynamic torque

at low speed

Hybrid type Good speedltorque

characteristics

Can be made very small.

very efficient

Stepper motors are useful wherever accuratecontrol of movement

is required. They are used extensively in robotics and in printers,
plotters and computer disk drives, all of which require precise
positioning or speed. In a plotter, for example, by using two motors
running at 90 degrees to each other, they can be used to drive a pn
an exact distance in all directions. In robotics, they are usedto
position manipulators exactly where required.
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